Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday with the Fathers


Philippians 3:8

Denying Self—Origen

Those who have not denied themselves cannot follow Jesus. For choosing to follow Jesus and to actually follow Him springs from no ordinary courage. Those who deny themselves wipe out their former, wicked lives. For example, those who once were immoral deny their immoral selves and become self-controlled forever.

Those who have become righteous don’t confess themselves but Christ. Those who find wisdom, because they possess wisdom, also confess Christ. And those who, “with the heart believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth make confession unto salvation,” and testify for Christ’s works by confessing them to others, will be confessed by Christ before His Father in heaven.

As a result, let every thought, every purpose, every word, and every action become a denial of ourselves and a testimony about Christ and in Christ. I am persuaded that the perfect person’s every action is a testimony to Christ Jesus and that abstinence from every sin is a denial of self, leading to Christ. Those people are crucified with Christ. They take up their own crosses to follow Him who, for our sake, bears His own cross.

Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers

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